For the week of May 22 - 28, 2002

South county commissioner election decided in primary

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By TRAVIS PURSER
Express Staff Writer

Candidates for the general election in November face their first round of voter decision-making next week during the 2002 primary election Tuesday.

Dennis Wright

The primary selects one party candidate to run for each seat in November.

Two seats are contested in Blaine County government. James Super challenges incumbent Dennis Wright for south county commissioner. Walter Cochran challenges incumbent Valdi Pace for county assessor.

Super and Wright, both Democrats, have been making their final campaign pushes leading up to the May 28 primary. Their race will be decided then.

For Pace, a Democrat, and Cochran, a Republican, however, the primary means less, because they are each assured a place on the November ballot. So far, the two have been doing little to campaign.

Jim Super

Both Wright and Super stress the importance of preserving agricultural land and other open space by concentrating development in and around cities.

Both candidates say they support efforts to create a regional public transportation system.

Both stress fiscal responsibility, but have different ideas about what that means. Super said the county government needs an administrator to handle the commission’s bureaucratic duties and allow commissioners to spend more time addressing policy and the concerns of constituents.

Wright, however, said he doesn’t perceive a need for an administrator, which the county doesn’t currently have. Commissioners should remain involved with the bureaucracy so they can understand policy, he said.

Valdi Pace

Wright previously served on the Bellevue City Council. He said that this is the last time he will seek re-election.

Super moved to Blaine County in 1997 from Emmett, where he served for six years on the city council.

Four other incumbents in county offices are running unopposed. They include mid-county commissioner Mary Ann Mix, a Democrat; county clerk Marsha Reimann, a Democrat; treasurer Vicki Dick, a Republican; and county coroner Russ Mikel, a Republican.

During the primary, voters must choose either all Democratic or all Republican candidates. In races for state and federal offices there are also Libertarian candidates.

Walter Cochran

However, voters throughout the entire county will be able to cast ballots for either Wright or Super, even though they are running for the south county commission seat.

Unregistered voters may register at polling places during the election with a photo identification and proof of address, such as a utility bill.

Polling places will be open from 8 a.m. until 8 p.m.

The armory in Hailey is no longer a polling place. Hailey residents must vote either at the Hailey Grange Hall at 603 Third Ave. South or at the Hailey Elementary School gym, depending on where in Hailey they live.

A list of all polling places can be found on Page A22 of the May 22, 2002 edition of the Idaho Mountain Express.

Also, a list of all polling places, as well as other detailed information about the election is available at www.co.blaine.id.us/elections.htm. Or call the county clerk’s office at 788-5505.

Applications for absentee ballots are available online or at the clerk’s office.

 

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